Content:
- NITI Aayog releases second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index (2023-24)
NITI Aayog releases second edition of the North Eastern Region District SDG Index (2023-24)
Overview & Significance
- Released by: NITI Aayog and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), with technical support from UNDP.
- Edition: Second edition; first released on 26 August 2021.
- Objective: To measure district-level SDG progress across 121 districts in 8 Northeastern states.
- Methodology: Based on the SDG India Index framework developed by NITI Aayog.
- Utility: Facilitates evidence-based planning, identifies development gaps, and guides interventions.
- Categories of Districts:
- Achiever: Score = 100
- Front Runner: 65–99
- Performer: 50–64
- Aspirant: <50
Relevance : GS 2(Governance )

Key Highlights
- 85% of districts showed an increase in composite score over the previous edition.
- All districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura are in the Front Runner category.
- Hnahthial (Mizoram): Top performer in NER with a score of 81.43.
- Longding (Arunachal Pradesh): Lowest scoring district at 58.71.
- Nagaland: For the first time, 3 districts feature in the Top 10.
- Sikkim: Most consistent performance across districts (only 5.5-point score variation).
- Tripura: High performers with low intra-state variation (6.5 points).
- Mizoram and Nagaland: Strong performers but higher intra-state score variations (13.72 and 15.07 points, respectively).
SDG Goal-wise Insights
- Good Health & Well-being (SDG 3): Improved scores in 93 districts.
- Assam: Notable improvements in:
- Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
- Quality Education (SDG 4)
- Clean Water & Sanitation (SDG 6)
- Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG 8)
State-wise Best & Worst Performing Districts
State | Highest Scoring District | Lowest Scoring District |
Arunachal Pradesh | Lower Dibang Valley (73.36) | Longding (58.71) |
Assam | Dibrugarh (74.29) | South Salmara-Mankachar (59.71) |
Manipur | Imphal West (73.21) | Pherzawl (59.71) |
Meghalaya | East Khasi Hills (73.00) | East Jaintia Hills (63.00) |
Mizoram | Hnahthial (81.43) | Lawngtlai (67.71) |
Nagaland | Mokokchung (78.43) | Zunheboto (63.36) |
Sikkim | Gangtok (76.64) | Gyalshing (71.14) |
Tripura | Gomati (78.79) | Dhalai (72.29) |
Institutional Remarks
- Suman Bery (Vice Chair, NITI Aayog): Emphasized the importance of achieving SDGs by 2030 as an intermediate step to Viksit Bharat @2047.
- B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (CEO, NITI Aayog): Highlighted PM’s vision of Ashta Lakshmi and development of the NE region.
- Chanchal Kumar (Secy, MoDoNER): Index helps identify gaps and informs efficient resource allocation.
- Dr. Angela Lusigi (UNDP): Stressed data-to-action transformation for human development.
Implications & Takeaways
- Reflects strong policy alignment, especially with flagship schemes like Aspirational Districts Programme.
- Reinforces localization of SDGs with robust district-level monitoring.
- Encourages cooperative federalism through collaborative monitoring and development.
- Sets the foundation for targeted interventions and improved public service delivery in the Northeast.
NITI Aayog SDG India Index – Key Highlights
- Launched: First introduced in 2018 to track India’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the state and UT level.
- Prepared by: NITI Aayog, with support from UNDP India and technical expertise from GIZ (in earlier editions).
- Framework: Aligned with the 17 SDGs adopted by UN Member States under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Latest Edition: SDG Index 2023 includes 100+ indicators across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
- Coverage: Tracks all States and Union Territories, and increasingly also district-level performance (e.g., North Eastern Region Index, Aspirational Districts).
- Scoring Categories:
- Achiever: 100
- Front Runner: 65–99
- Performer: 50–64
- Aspirant: Below 50
- Top Performers (2023):
- In 2023–24, Kerala and Uttarakhand jointly topped the Index with a score of 79, followed by Tamil Nadu (78) and Goa & Himachal Pradesh (77)